Composite achieves the virtually impossible – it’s electrically conducting, while thermally insulating

New carbon–ceramic composites developed by researchers in Germany retain high electrical conductivity while being extremely good thermal insulators – properties normally almost impossible to achieve together. The researchers hope that the materials, which are easy to produce and resistant to mechanical and thermal stress, may find important sustainability applications, as electrification of energy sources increasingly requires the thermal isolation of high-power electrical components. Moreover, their fundamental insights into managing heat flow could inspire new, even better materials.